Tree House Cabins Bring Unique Experience to Hardin County

WSILTV.COM : Timber Ridge Outpost and Cabins

By Nick Hausen
Story Created: Sep 12, 2012 at 5:20 PM CDT

HARDIN COUNTY — There’s a new attraction for visitors to Hardin County. People traveling to the community to see the Shawnee National Forest, Garden of the Gods, or the Ohio River now have a unique place to stay.

“I hear a lot of, ‘Wow, this reminds me of my childhood. Remember when we used to build tree forts?'” said Elizabeth Canfarelli, owner of Timber Ridge Outpost and Cabins.

That’s because the cabins are suspended more than twenty feet up in trees.

“We wanted to not just go into lodging, but to do something unique that would bring a lot more people here, draw a lot more attention to the area,” explained Canfarelli.

The area around Hardin County is well known for its dazzling natural features, and the Canfarelli’s are relying on those features to bring more people to their tree houses.

“Probably one of the best assets that we have here is the beauty of the land, the Shawnee National Forest, and so the tourist industry seemed like the logical direction to go.”

The Canfarelli’s offer two tree houses. Both are fully equipped with everything from running water to television. The most unique is suspended in a 200 year old white oak.

“It’s a beautiful old grandfather of a tree, that we really wanted to accent and bring forward,” explained Canfarelli.

The old tree even grows right into one of the bedrooms. Most of the guests come from the city, and being out in the woods helps them kick back.

“They like to read a book, they like to relax,” explained Elizabeth’s husband, Marty. “Today, they like to get away from the theme parks and like to get back somewhere where they can actually just sit and relax and feel like they’ve had a vacation when they leave to go back home.”

The cabins have only been open for a few months, but Elizabeth says feedback has been positive and business has been good. The couple have recently installed boat parking, equipped with trolling motor chargers, and hope to build a big pavilion to rent out for family reunions.